Chapter 67 – Being Teased
Xiao Fang first checked the phone screen. Seeing that it was still intact, he smiled in relief and handed it back to the fan who had dropped it.
“Be careful when taking pictures next time. Even if you drop it, don’t risk picking it up. It’s too dangerous. Or you can ask the security guard for help. Personal safety is the most important thing.” The girl stared blankly at Xiao Fang, who was smiling gently at her. At that moment, she felt like she had seen an angel.
Immediately, the girl thanked Xiao Fang profusely. Since there were many other actors behind them, Xiao Fang couldn’t linger for long. He gave the girl a reassuring smile and quickened his pace toward the hotel. At that, the screams reached a new peak.
Many girls who were previously neutral or even somewhat negative toward Xiao Fang’s past record instantly changed their attitude toward this clean-looking boy.
The fan who had dropped her phone dazedly put down her “I love Xiao Qi” sign and shouted Xiao Fang’s name loudly. This Xiao Fang little brother was just too warm!!!
Sometimes, love just requires being adaptable!
Walking behind, Wen An’an and Zhang Hang both sighed helplessly. This man, he was always unintentionally charming people everywhere! The highest level of winning fans, the natural type, and he himself didn’t even notice.
Just as Xiao Fang’s group finished their walk, it was Xiao Qi’s turn after three film emperors.
With Xiao Qi’s popularity, a large portion of the people here had come for him. When Xiao Qi got out of the RV, he was also wearing a white formal suit. Compared to Xiao Fang’s gentleness, he had a kind of aloof coldness, like something placed on a high pedestal. This was the persona the company had created for him, a flower on a high peak, untouched by the mortal world. No matter how the fans screamed, he maintained a faint, rejecting demeanor. The brain-dead fans clutched their hearts in pain. Their Xiao Qi still couldn’t accept the filth of the world!
But it didn’t matter. In their eyes, their Xiao Qi was a god.
“Xiao Qi, Xiao Qi!” The fans shouted in an organized manner, their voices far drowning out the other fans’ voices. This made the several TV kings and queens who entered later feel a bit awkward. Shouldn’t fan management be very important at times like this?
When a star becomes popular to a certain degree, fans will automatically manage themselves, adjusting according to the direction from above. They are absolutely not allowed to do things like stealing the spotlight or being off-topic. Anyone with a bit of a brain knows that this is just smearing their own idol. But Xiao Qi, as the flower on a high peak, had never bothered with these things. In his eyes, there was only acting and fame, which had also made him offend many people in the entertainment industry.
“This Xiao Qi is really getting more and more arrogant by the day.” Two famous TV queen best friends in the television industry entered the venue arm in arm. One was Guo Mengyun, famous for her campus romance dramas, and the other was Zhuo Si, who starred in suspenseful social-themed dramas. They were a rare pair of true best friends in the entertainment industry. They whispered to each other as they walked, and their words echoed the thoughts of most people.
“I’m really afraid of walking behind him. This kid really doesn’t know how to behave. He’s completely ruining his public image,” Zhuo Si sighed.
“Hmph, do you see him listening to anyone’s advice?” Guo Mengyun didn’t have so many considerations. With a not-so-great family background, he should have a good attitude in the entertainment industry and be well-rounded in everything. Acting like this, it’s no wonder he offends people and loses endorsements. “I actually think his brother is better than him.”
“You mean Xiao Fang?” Zhuo Si had heard a lot of news about Xiao Fang recently and was curious about what he was like in person.
“Yes, yes, yes. How about we go talk to him later?” Guo Mengyun looked very interested.
Zhuo Si smiled and exchanged a look with her best friend, immediately reaching a consensus.
Sitting at the dining table in the venue, Xiao Fang couldn’t help but sneeze. Was someone thinking of him?
The venue consisted of an awards stage and dozens of dining tables. A regular table could seat about eight people, and there were also special two-person tables for investors and bosses, placed at the very front of the stage. The entire venue had dozens of mobile cameras. From now on, Xiao Fang’s every word and action would be filmed, so he had to be extra careful! Yes!
“Fang’er? Fang’er!” Zhang Hang leaned over and called out.
“What?” Xiao Fang said indistinctly.
“Just stop eating. So many cameras are watching. You’ve almost finished the dried fruit platter here!” Drinking water in the car, eating dried fruit when he got out, Zhang Hang was about to be defeated by this foodie Xiao Fang.
Xiao Fang looked at him with great confusion, his small mouth chewing on almonds and macadamia nuts. “There are freshly shelled macadamia nuts here, you see how completely they’re shelled. And American walnuts, almonds, pine nuts are all shelled. Cherries, strawberries, you can tell they were air-freighted just by looking at the dew on their skin.”
Zhang Hang looked at Xiao Fang with a complicated expression and patted his shoulder deeply. “Fang’er, these things, as soon as the New Year comes, as long as you ask, your dear grandparents will definitely shell them for you to eat. Can we not eat for now? Your image, your image!”
Xiao Fang shook his head firmly. “My grandpa’s hands are for holding a brush, not for shelling walnuts for me!”
Zhang Hang, sighed to the heavens!
Director Hu, who saw all this, smiled and persuaded, “Zhang Hang, just stop persuading him. This kind of occasion isn’t that formal yet. It’s fine to eat a little. Otherwise, every time these award ceremonies end, the waiters just take back the platters as they were. How discouraging for the hotel service.”
Zhang Hang was dumbfounded. He had no idea there was such a saying.
“It’s okay, it’s okay. We can share ours when we’re done.” A very glamorous woman from the next table turned around. She must have discussed it with them. She placed the almost untouched fruit platter over.
“Oh, isn’t this Zhuo Si? You’re getting more and more beautiful. Long time no see.” Director Hu extended his hand with sweet words.
Almost every small star without a backer had gone through Director Hu’s third-rate dramas. Director Hu was known as the iron-clad director of flowing third-rate drama actors. Director Hu could call out the names of most of the people present.
Zhuo Si was a relatively easy-going person and didn’t put on the airs of a film empress or TV queen. She very politely shook his hand back. “Long time no see, Director Hu. The ‘Dynasty’ you directed is really impressive. It’s a completely new style.”
“Hahaha, not at all, not at all.” Director Hu had been praised like this every day lately, and his skin had gradually thickened. He didn’t even blush when being modest.
“Director Hu, do you still remember me?” Another girl came over from behind Zhuo Si. She had a sweet appearance, and her voice was full of student-like charm. This person was actually almost thirty years old, known as the baby-faced TV queen, Guo Mengyun.
Director Hu smoothly extended his hand toward Guo Mengyun. “How could I not remember our little princess? Long time no see, Mengyun.”
The few actors, including Xiao Fang, watched this reunion and suddenly felt like they were back in high school, at a meeting between the head teacher and graduated seniors. It turned out that the seemingly laid-back Director Hu had actually directed so many famous actors’ dramas. The three of them immediately felt a sense of respect for Director Hu.
Their table had a total of five people, including the director and screenwriter. Zhuo Si and Guo Mengyun asked for permission and joined them. In fact, they just wanted to come and see Xiao Fang.
An extra fruit platter meant double the happiness for Xiao Fang. While Director Hu was chatting with them, he turned on his little hamster mode, chewing on this side and looking at that side.
Guo Mengyun’s heart itched as she watched, and she couldn’t help but poke Xiao Fang’s cheek.
“Oh my god, this skin is so tender and elastic. I’m so envious,” Guo Mengyun said with envy.
Xiao Fang, who looked up with a bewildered face, ???
Guo Mengyun was instantly defeated by Xiao Fang’s small eyes. This was too cute, too milky!!! She almost blurted out piggy words like “let big sister hug you.”
Xiao Fang quickly chewed and swallowed the food in his mouth, then politely greeted Guo Mengyun, “Hello, Senior.”
In Xiao Fang’s eyes, this was a powerful yet polite greeting. But in Guo Mengyun’s eyes, it was completely different. The soft and cute Xiao Fang actually called her senior. If someone else called her that, she would definitely be unhappy that they were calling her old, but Xiao Fang was different. Mommy loves you~
“Good, good,” Guo Mengyun wiped the non-existent drool from the corner of her mouth. All of this was seen by her composed best friend, Zhuo Si. She first greeted the juniors with equal courtesy, then turned her attention here.
“Xiao Fang, you don’t have to mind. Mengyun’s personality is more hyperactive. There’s absolutely no ill intention.”
Xiao Fang nodded in understanding. There was definitely no malicious intent, but in Xiao Fang’s eyes, it was a bit… like, uh, the way his mom fans looked at him. It was rather scary.
“Your ‘Dynasty’ was filmed very well. I watched the whole thing at home. The plot and characters are both very good.” Zhuo Si, unlike her best friend, adopted a gradual approach.
Xiao Fang smiled humbly and placed his little paws obediently on his lap. “This is all thanks to Director Wang and everyone’s hard work. As long as a work is made with heart, all works will be good works. I also really like Teacher Zhuo’s works. The characters you portray are always so vivid, and there are many things for me to learn from. Does this count as a fanboy seeing the real person today?”
Look at how sweet this little mouth is, so much better than his flower-on-a-high-peak brother. No wonder Xiao Fang could protect himself even after so many incidents. His emotional intelligence was still there.
Zhuo Si put on her tried-and-true business smile. “You too. I’ve also learned a lot from your acting. We must discuss it together when we have the chance.”
Xiao Fang nodded obediently. As he lowered his head, Zhuo Si noticed the slightly red tips of Xiao Fang’s ears. This kid, does he always get like this when talking to girls? He’s too cute. Zhuo Si secretly wore a knowing smile. She got the point. This was interesting, hehe.
In less than fifteen minutes, the two TV queens had become familiar with the “Dynasty” table and never thought of going back to their own table again. The people from the two crews suddenly looked at each other with disdain. They were all stinky men, what was there to see!!!
At this moment, the crowd stirred. Xiao Qi was seen walking into the venue fashionably late, arm in arm with a very handsome man. Anyone with a slightly higher position in the business world recognized that man. Was Xiao Qi’s long-hidden lover’s identity going to be announced tonight?
“Oh my god, isn’t that the rising star of the business world, Yan Yunyang? So he’s Xiao Qi’s long-unannounced boyfriend?”
“These two are too well-matched.”
“No wonder Xiao Qi has always been indifferent to people in the industry. It turns out he has such a good one himself. After being with Yan Yunyang, will he have to worry about dramas not coming to him?”
“Shh, keep your voice down. Be careful not to offend that one.”
…
Yan Yunyang and Xiao Qi sat down at the high-end two-person table at the front amidst everyone’s various thoughts. The two of them sat there, and no one said anything more. Those who were curious would find out everything when the hot search came out tomorrow.